Metal fence post protective cap

ABSTRACT

A metal fence post protective cap made of a flexible plastic material to fit snuggly on top of a T shaped cross section and uniformly spaced studs extending from one surface. The cap is formed with channels to receive the T shaped cross section and the studs with all of the channels being closed at the top. The T shaped cross section receiving channels are completely open at the bottom of the cap but the bottom of the stud receiving channel is partially closed with a retainer portion which engages and outer portion of a stud to resist accidental removal of the cap from the post. The retainer portion merges with a small lead in opening acting as a guide to align studs with the stud receiving channel during installation of the cap on the post.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/101,885 filed Apr. 8, 2005.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to fences and more particularly to a protective cap for metal fence posts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Metal fence posts are in wide use throughout the world because of their durability and low costs. Such posts vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and even with the same manufacture the same posts vary in dimension. The typical metal T-post has a cross section in the form of a T with an elongated web forming the upright of the T and a pair of oppositely extending flanges forming the cross bar at the top of the upright web. The upper face of the crossbar has uniformly spaced studs along the full length of the post and in opposition to the web or upright of the T. Such studs are used for retaining wire and holding fencing in place. During the manufacturing operation the fence posts are sheared to length and the tolerances permitted vary so that sometimes the studs are sheared or the space between the studs is sheared. In either event, the upper end of the post forms sharp edges which are dangerous to livestock coming in contact with the post.

Protective caps have been in use and have been the subject of patents for many years. Rigid caps are exemplified by my prior patents U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,654,383 and 4,077,611. Rigid caps are usually combined with other features such as wire retaining fingers and structure. Also resilient caps molded of flexible material such as polyvinyl plastisol have been used. Examples are shown in Ackerman Patent U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,805 issued in 1966 and Calzone Patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,750 issued in 2003. The Calzone patent structure has an unobstructed stud receiving channel and the Ackerman patent has an obstructed passage. The advantage of the Calzone patent structure is the ease of mounting the cap on the upper end of the post because the stud receiving channel permits the free passage of studs. The advantage of the Ackerman patent is that the closed bottom of the cap prevents easy removal and protects the upper end of the cap from weathering.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cap for metal T-posts which facilitates installation by providing a guide means or lead-in passage to receive studs on the T-post during installation.

It is another object of the invention to provide a cap for metal T-posts which resists removal of the cap from the post accidentally when animals contact the post by providing an obstruction engaging the studs to prevent free movement of the studs out of the passage.

These and other objects of the invention are attained by a protective cap fitted to the top of the metal T-post having an elongated web forming the leg of the T and extending outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the port, a pair of oppositely extending flanges forming the cross bar of the T and a top surface at the top of the T having uniformly spaced studs opposite to said web. The post is fitted with a unitary flexible cap having a length to cover at least one full stud at the top of the post and a configuration to conform to the cross section of the post with a closed top and channels to receive the web, flanges and studs. The channels receiving the web and flanges are completely open and unobstructed. However, a retainer portion is formed at the entrance to the stud receiving channel to engage the outer portion of a stud and forms a restricted opening acting as guide to engage the surface of the stud to align and guide the studs into the receiving chamber or channel during installation of the cap on the post. In its installed condition the retainer portion acts to engage the lower angled wall of the stud and resist removal of the cap from the post.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the upper end of a T-post with the protective cap embodying the invention installed in position;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the protective cap;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the cap taken on line 5-5 in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The fence post cap is designated generally at 10 and is illustrated in its installed condition at the top part of a T-type, metal fence post 12 only the upper portion of which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The post 12 has a cross-section configuration resembling the letter T with the leg of the T formed by an elongated web 14 extending outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the post 12 indicated at 15 in FIG. 1. A pair of flanges 16 extend in opposite direction from each other and the axis 15 at the inner edge of the web 14 to form the cross-sectional bar of the T.

A plurality of uniformly spaced studs 20 extend the full length of the post 12 and are disposed at the side of the cross bar of the T shaped formed by the flanges 16 and opposite to the web 14. The studs 20 typically have angled edges 21 and flat top 22 and are separated from each other by gaps indicated at 23. Because of the manufacturing process the posts vary in the position of the first full stud 20 from the top of the post 12. As an example, as illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the top of the post 12 extends through an intermediate portion of a stud 20 so that only a part of it remains with the post. The first full stud is lower on the post 12.

The cap 10 is a single unitary member molded of a polyvinyl plastisol and has a length sufficient to cover at least the first full stud 20 at the top of the T post 12. The cap 10 has a cross-section complementary to the T post 12 with the relatively thin and flexible walls forming a channel 24 to receive the web 14, a pair of channels 26 to receive the two flanges 16 and a channel 30 to receive the studs 20. All of the channels 24, 26 and 30 communicate with each other.

To accomplish covering one full stud 20 the length of the cap 10 must be long enough to have a channel 30 at least as long as one full stud 20 and one full gap 23 between studs 20. The top of the cap 10 is closed with a top wall 32 which is relatively thicker than the side walls of the cap to accommodate the abrasion from the cut end of post 12 and to offer additional protection to contact by livestock.

The open ends of the channels 24 and 26 are completely unobstructed to receive the webs 14 and flanges 16, respectively. However, the lower end of the stud receiving channel 30 has an angled retainer portion 34 that partially closes the end of channel enhance 30.

The angled retainer 34 extends from the outer portion 35 of the stud covering portion of the cap 10 and merges with a guide portion 36 that extends a small amount longitudinally of the post 12 to form a short lead in or guide passage 37 seen in FIGS. 2 and 5. The guide passage 37 is open adjacent to the base of the stud 20. With the stud 20 aligned with the passage 37 the inner walls of the guide portion 36, help to keep the stud in alignment so that the angled retainer portion 34 can be stretched over the outer portion of the stud 20 during installation of the cap 10 on the post 12.

After the angled retainer portion 34 passes over the top of the stud 20 the cap 10 assumes the condition shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with at least one full stud 20 is in the chamber formed between studs in channel 30. The guide portion 36 forms a restricted opening 37 into the channel 30 so that if the cap 10 slides upwardly, the angled retainer portion 34 will engage the edge 21 of the stud 20 to resist further displacement and removal of the cap 10 from the post 12. Also, the restricted opening or guide passage 37 formed by guide portion 36 into the stud receiving channel 20 minimizes the exposure of the upper end of the post 10 and protects it from weathering.

The cap 10 typically is installed on post 12 without the use of tools by aligning the opening formed at the lower end of the channels 24 and 26 with the corresponding web 14 and flanges 16. Also, the guide passage 37 is aligned with a stud 20 or portion thereof. Subsequent sliding of the cap 10 downwardly and stretching the angled retainer portion 34 over the tip of the aligned stud 20 will bring the cap 10 into its mounted or installed condition as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In its installed condition as seen in FIG. 3 the cap 20 fits snuggly over the top of post 12 and engages the outer surfaces of the web 14, flanges 16 and a full stud 20 to protect livestock against contact.

A cap for mounting on the upper end of metal T type fence posts has been provided which is made of a soft, pliable plastic material to protect livestock in which the cap has a retainer portion to resist removal of the cap from its installed condition and a guide portion to assist alignment of a stud with its receiving passage during installation of the cap on a post. 

1-11. (canceled)
 12. A protecting cap for installation on top of an elongated metal fence post, the combination of the post and protecting cap comprising: a post having a longitudinal axis with a web and a pair of opposed flanges extending from the axis and forming a T shaped cross section and having a row of uniformly spaced studs extending on a side of the T cross section opposite to the web; and a unitary cap of resilient material having a length no less than the length of a stud and a space between adjacent studs, and having wall portions conformable to the cross section of the post forming a stud receiving channel and channels alignable with the web and the flanges of the post, and having a top wall closing the channels, the lower ends of the channels being fully open; a retainer portion closing a laterally outer part of a lower end of the stud receiving channel and being operable to engage an outer part of a stud in the stud receiving channel to resist removal of the cap from an installed position on the post; and a guide portion open to the stud receiving channel at the laterally inner end of the retainer portion to align the stud receiving channel with a portion of a stud at a top of the post during installation of the cap, at least a portion of the guide portion being spaced from the post when the cap is positioned on the post.
 13. The protective cap of claim 12 wherein the retainer portion extends downwardly and inwardly from an outer portion of the stud receiving channel to close a substantial portion of its opening.
 14. The protective cap of claim 13 wherein the guide portion is formed in the opening to the stud receiving channel adjacent to the retainer portion to align with the studs.
 15. The protective cap of claim 12 wherein the resilient material is plastic material.
 16. The protective cap of claim 15 wherein the plastic material is a polyvinyl plastisol.
 17. A protective cap for installation on top of a metal fence post the combination of the cap and post comprising: a T fence post having an elongated web and flanges forming the legs of the post, and a surface on a side of the post having uniformly spaced studs disposed opposite to the web; and a unitary flexible cap having a length to cover at least a stud at the top of the post and side walls conforming to the cross section of the post with a closed top wall, the side walls defining a stud receiving channel and channels to receive the web and the flanges, the channels being open at the bottom of the cap; the cap including a retainer portion closing an outer portion of the channel at the bottom of the cap and positioned to engage an outer portion of the first full stud in the stud receiving channel to resist removal of the cap from an installed position on the post; and the cap including a guide portion formed adjacent to the retainer portion, the guide portion being in alignment with an inner portion of the opening to the stud receiving channel and forming an opening at the lower end of the retainer portion that communicates with the stud receiving channel to act as a guide engageable with the opposed sides of a stud at the top of the post to align the retainer portion with the studs during installation of the cap on the post.
 18. The protective cap of claim 17 wherein the retainer portion is formed at an angle extending downwardly and inwardly.
 19. The protective cap of claim 17 wherein the top wall is thicker than the side walls.
 20. The protective cap of claim 17 wherein the cap is molded of a plastic material.
 21. The protective cap of claim 20 wherein the plastic material is a polyvinyl plastisol. 